Page 101 of Of Sockets Of Stitches
“To heal the Brings’ artery or seam or whatever it is!” She pressed her pouty lips to a thinner line, and I was struck by how much expression her eyebrows usually lent the princess. Her hairlessness would take time to adjust to.
I said, “You cannot rest until you do everything possible to see your love again.”
“I would think you would feel the same about saving the world,” she snapped.
In close quarters as we were amid mothers in vigil, all monsters must hear in her words. “I understand your pain and frenzy, and the Brings require time. Time that you and Marquis Take received.”
She deflated somewhat. “We do not have time. You keep saying so. Why are we exchanging pleasantries and passing the night or day with meaningless conversation when some of our monsters are lost?”
She dashed away a tear.
“We do not have time,” I admitted. “Yet much could be lost from premature action.”
The princess clenched her fists. “Or is it that you would rather cuddle See a while longer than do anything?”
“No,” I said very certainly. “My champion, when your marquis returns, let the history of monsters state that you spent your time apart driven to be reunited with him. Let it speak of your dignity in heartache, instead of the rapid frothing at your mouth and the sparks of bitterness in your heart.”
She stiffened, and—wisely—opted for silence. She stormed away as far as possible, which was not very far.
I scanned the area between my tower and the hellebore grave. My ancestral mothers appeared harassed to say the least. Pawns had charmed some with their lovable thoughts for a time, but the charm had worn off quickly. These women were used to the company of silence, extraordinary connection, and themselves.
Aside from the Brings, only my mother seemed engaged.
In her discussion with See.
The thought to listen in had occurred to me many times, but of course pawns had wished to converse with me too. One by one.
And then the marchioness. ButnowI would eavesdrop in peace a time. Why did they lean so close? Such expression on See’s face. Such like I had rarely witnessed.
A throat cleared. “My queen.”
I allowed myself a moment to close my eyes and hold a breath—oof—then I glanced aside at the Brings.
Earl Bring swept in a low bow, and his countess dropped into a magnificent curtsey.
“We could not help but overhear,” she started, then grimaced in the direction of the fuming Marchioness Take.
Earl Bring took hold of the countess’s hand and held her knuckles to his lips. “My queen, neither of us would have monsterdom and the world wait for us. We ask that you take us to our frayed seam without further delay.”
“No,” I replied.
He blinked. “But no.”
“But no, Earl Bring. My knowledge on the matter is clear; a healing must take place in those unions which are frayed. What occurs at the frayed seam is simply the healing ritual. Without the proper ingredients, I am sure that the ritual will not prove successful.”
The countess sighed. “Our haste could undo all the good done.”
I dipped my head. “Two of our monsters are lost. I will not risk their return on a union in its infancy.”
Marchioness Take lifted her head. Our gazes locked across the circle, and she nodded, sighing heavily.
“I was an infant not too long ago,” declared Countess Bring. “Now I am fully grown.”
From the look of the heat in her earl’s eyes, he was well aware of the fact.
“We must accelerate the process,” she went on to announce. The very top of her highest blob rippled with her musing frown. “Oh! We must plug each other, Earl Bring.”
His crimson blob deepened to near-black. “P-plug?”
